QPR defender Rio Ferdinand has been suspended for three matches and fined £25,000 for comments he made on Twitter, the Football Association has announced.

The 35-year-old former England captain directed a jibe at a Twitter follower who criticised him last month, containing the word ’sket’, which the Collins English Dictionary defines as “a promiscuous girl or woman”.

After a Twitter user sent the message “Maybe QPR will sign a good CB (centre-back) they need one”, Ferdinand replied by saying “get ya mum in, plays the field well son! #sket”. The exchange came on 1 September, which was transfer deadline day.

The FA said in a statement on its website: “Queens Park Rangers defender Rio Ferdinand has been suspended for three matches commencing with immediate effect, subject to any appeal, after an FA misconduct charge against him was found proven.

“It was further alleged that this breach was aggravated pursuant to FA rule E3(2) as the comment included a reference to gender.

“Following an independent regulatory commission hearing on Wednesday 29 October, Ferdinand was also fined £25,000, severely warned as to his future conduct and ordered to attend an education programme, arranged by the FA within four months.”

Ferdinand, who made 81 appearances for England, the last in June 2011, is a member of FA chairman Greg Dyke’s commission looking at how to improve English football.